Crawling in the Dark
by Yentruoc
Summary: What I think should have happened in the season 2 ep 'Killed By Death' if it had taken place before 'Surprise'.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Crawling in the Dark Author: Yentruoc Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, they're all Joss'. Also, the basic story line is borrowed from the show, along with a couple of lines. And the title was suggested from my friend Jess. This story is basically a rewrite of 'Killed by Death'. Rating: PG13 Summary: I read that the season 2 BTVS episode 'Killed by Death' was really supposed to be before 'Surprise', so Angel would have still had a soul. So, this is how I'd want it to go if it took place around the time of 'Bad Eggs'.  
  
  
  
Buffy climbed tiredly over the large brick wall, resting at the top for a moment to release a few coughs, before jumping to the ground. She paused after hitting it, sitting up on her feet and holding her head before standing. She sniffled and coughed as she shuffled her feat through the grass of the graveyard, a long wooden stake grasped tightly in her hand. Her gaze seemed tired and inattentive and she lazily peered out into empty surroundings, although her quiet world was soon interrupted by the distinct shuffle of feet. Buffy looked in the direction of the sound, suddenly ready and prepared for a fight as she stalked towards the offending crypt. She couldn't hold back her sniffle as she turned the corner, and hearing another shuffle, lunged forward with her stake-pointing it straight at Angel.  
  
"Oh, good vampire," Buffy said sheepishly as she lowered her stake from her boyfriend and he gave her small grin, which she tiredly returned. "What are you doing here?" Buffy continued through sniffles and coughs.  
  
"What are you doing here Buffy?" Angel questioned back to his girlfriend as he reached to hold her empty hand in his own.  
  
"Patrol," sniffle, "I didn't think you'd be patrolling, I couldn't get a hold of you so I figured I'd be flying solo tonight. So I'm just doing my part in fighting Sunnydale's evil population," sniffle, "Which would technically be everything." Buffy coughed as she finished her reply then began to ponder.  
  
"Buffy, you're sick. Which, by the way, is what Giles told me when I called the library earlier. He said he told you to stay in tonight, I was going to stop in and check on you after a quick sweep," Angel continued, concerned, as he gazed deep into her eyes and traced small circles on her palm.  
  
"I'm fine, I told Giles I was fine," cough, cough, "Gees, you old people like to overeact," Angel smirked at that and Buffy continued, "Anyway, the world is spinning, but I kinda like it. It's like a ride," Buffy attempted before smiling, "You were going to check in on me?"  
  
Angel returned the smile before giving her a soft kiss. "You're sick, Buffy," he then started, cutting Buffy off as she opened her mouth, "How about I take a few minutes off of patrol to walk you home," he leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead as she sniffled once again, "and tuck you into bed." Angel smiled as he finished up, and Buffy could do nothing but return the grin-and let out a few coughs. Angel's smile suddenly faded as his gaze fell from Buffy to something behind her, "Hold that thought." Buffy turned at the comment to find a trio of vampires glaring at them hungrily. "You gonna be okay to fight?" Angel questioned as the enemies moved in.  
  
"Hey, no problem, you just might have to carry me back home after," Buffy told him, and Angel chuckled softly as he squeezed her hand while pulling out a stake with the other one. Buffy was already a step ahead, holding her stake up as the vamps closed in.  
  
Angel took the first easily: a teenage guy with dark brown hair, and he was obviously recently sired. The other two, however, weren't quite as quick to be beaten. Angel took on the other man; he looked like he would have been in his twenties, and had a long ponytail of brown hair trailing down his back. He was much stronger than the first vampire, as was the brunette vamp that Buffy was fighting. Angel glanced at Buffy between punches and kicks to find her holding her own, although her weakness was evident. He finally gave the vamp a final kick in the chest; causing him to topple over and giving Angel the opportunity needed to move in for the kill. He plunged the stake into the vampire's chest before moving over to help Buffy. He grabbed the brunette hard, pulling her away from Buffy. The vamp eagerly continued her fight with him as Buffy rested, and after several kicks and punches, the third vampire was also dust.  
  
Angel turned to face Buffy, only to find her coughing and sniffing while grasping her head, her eyes focused on something else before transferring to Angel. "Buffy!" Angel said as he walked towards her.  
  
"I'm fine, I'll be fine," Buffy muttered before fainting into Angel's strong embrace.  
  
***  
  
TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Author's Notes: Finally updated! Rating, disclaimer, etc. are all in the default chapter

Scene 1

"Doctor! We need a doctor over here!" Angel's voice bellowed as he dashed through the emergency room doors, Buffy held snugly in his arms.

"What happened?" a nurse with long, pulled-back dark hair asked calmly.

"She fainted," Angel's voice was rushed, "She's been sick…coughing and sneezing, and she just fainted."

"Can we get a bed over here?" the nurse called over her shoulder, before turning back, "Her name?"

"Buffy Summers"

"Age?"

"She's sixteen."

"What was she doing before she fainted? Was their any extra stress on her system?"

Angel struggled, "She was, uh, she had a fight…please, just help her!"

"We will, sir, look the bed is here," at the nurse's prompt, Angel placed Buffy gently down, brushing a stray strand of hair from her eyes before stepping back. He stood and watched, helpless, as the doctors and nurses examined her; medical phrases meaning nothing to his ears.

"Is she going to be all right?" he asked softly, and the first nurse turned to him, nodding.

"We'll do everything we can, sir. Now, we've got to take her into emergency. Are you family?"

"I'm her boyfriend." Angel's voice was soft as he reached out for Buffy's limp hand.

"Well, then, I'm going to have to ask you to stay here, contact some of Miss Summers' family, and start filling out some forms at the desk before they arrive."

Angel's voice was desperate, as he shook his head, "I have to, I have to stay with Bu—"

"Sir, you can see her after we look at her, right now you just have to let us work", the woman held her hands up with her request, which she spoke calmly.

Angel just stared at Buffy in response, his hand slipping from hers as they wheeled the bed through blue swinging doors and clear from his sight.

Scene 2

"Giles? It's Angel, Buffy went out patrolling tonight on her own…I know, I was sending her home," he stood against the white waiting room wall, speaking at a pay phone, "We got ambushed, we got them all and then she passed out. I'm at the hospital with her…I don't know, Giles, they won't tell me anything, they rolled her away on the bed and just said they'll do all they can." Angel's panicked words paused for an answer, "Okay, I'll see you soon…Giles? Maybe, could you call her mother? Having a strange man call in the middle of the night to tell her that her daughter's in the hospital might not be the most calming thing for Ms. Summers. Thanks, I'll see you soon."

Angel hung up before pulling a small black book from his jacket pocket. Plugging in another quarter, Angel lifted the receiver and dialed the number he read, waiting. "Willow?" he spoke, "It's Angel."

Scene 3

"Are there any updates on Buffy Summer?" Angel asked a male nurse behind the front desk.

"I'm sorry, sir, once again, we can only give updates to family," he replied, giving him a weak smile.

"Please," Giles spoke, "her mother has yet to arrive, and the four of us are the next closest to family she has."

"Even so, sir, I'm afraid you'll have to wait," the nurse replied, "I'm sorry, really." With that, the man picked up file before heading out from behind the desk and disappearing through the swinging blue doors.

"Where is she?" Mrs. Summer's voice was hectic as she raced through the sliding doors, catching site of Willow, Xander, and Giles. "I couldn't, I couldn't get the stupid car started again…I couldn't, I just…I just ended up calling a cab."

"They haven't told us anything, Mrs. Summers," Giles answered, "She was taken into emergency around half an hour ago, where I assume she still is. They said they can only speak to family."

"Of course," Mrs. Summers nodded, stepping quickly to the desk, "I need to find out how my daughter is, right away. Her name is Buffy Summers; she was taken into emergency. Please, quickly."

"Certainly, Mrs. Summers," a blonde nurse in front of a computer answered, and with a few clicks she responded. "She's still in a temporary emergency room, through those doors. One of our nurses will take you, and someone will give you an update of her condition when you get there."

Mrs. Summers turned to the others as the nurse directed a short brunette woman, for the first time noticing Angel. "You're Buffy's tutor aren't you? I didn't know you were still helping her study."

Angel looked lost in response, so Giles responded, "Yes, Mrs. Summers, Angel's, well Angel's still very involved with helping Buffy when needed." The woman nodded, her head clearly elsewhere, before turning back to the desk.

"Can they come with me? For Buffy, they've waited…" Mrs. Summers addressed the brunette nurse in front of her. She nodded, and together the group hurried through the swinging doors and down the white walls of the long, sterile-smelling hallway.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer, rating, etc. found in the default chapter

Author's Note: Sorry about the whole "Scene 1, Scene 2, etc." thing I've got going on in this piece (it's kind of distracting, I think). My computer, for some reason, is not allowing me to format this fic as I usually do, so this is the only way I could get it to work. I hope you enjoy the story though!

Scene 1

"No, no, I feel much better now, really," the groggy voice came from inside the small curtained room ahead of the group. It was a voice that was recognized easily, among the squeak of turning wheels.

"Ok, Miss Summers, that's great," a soothing female voice responded, "But you've still got to stay here till we check all of you out okay?" A moan responded as the hospital bed began to peak its way out from the curtain.

"Oh, Buffy!" Joyce exclaimed, rushing ahead of the leading nurse to grab at her daughter's hand as she emerged lying upon the foam mattress.

"Mommy!" Buffy responded desperately, dazed, "Take me home! I'm really much better now, no more hospitals, just take me home!" Joyce merely pouted and shook her head in response to Buffy's delirious words, the others stood back and watched. Angel, among them, tried desperately to hold himself from running to her as he watched a small tear escape from under her thick lashes.

"She's been asking to go since the second she woke up again," the new short-haired nurse replied with a smile, "Not a fan of hospitals, now is she?"

"Who is?" Willow's response was soft as she gazed as her strong friend, now seemingly broken and teary right before her eyes. Buffy looked up at her friends, noticing their presence for the first time as the nurse began to once again move her hospital bed.

"Angel!" she exclaimed, hands leaving her mother's and reaching for his the second her eyes fell upon him. He grabbed them, happy to please her if only for a moment in her current, distraught state. "Angel, I feel great now really, really I do!" The group moved with Buffy, still clinging desperately on her boyfriend's hands. "We have to go…we have to go back…have to patrol…we can't leave everyone…people will get hurt…I can't…I can't stay." With that she began to sit herself up, leaving Angel's hands useless to argument as she clutched with slayer strength.

"You have to lay back down, Buffy," he said softly to her, silently promising the nurses that he would handle it. His heart broke for her as she shook her head in response, however letting her grip loosen on his hands. Angel took the opportunity to carefully slip his hands from hers and gently lay her back down, her sounds and looks of protest still clearly portraying her intent. Seconds after her head hit the pillow once again, he slipped his large hands back to her small ones, lifting them and placing a soft kiss on top of one.

With that he disappeared from her sight, hand slipping from her own, and the bed wheeled around a busy corner. "Angel! Angel!" Buffy cried, pulling herself back up on the bed, "I want to leave, I fine, really I'm fine!" Buffy ignored the words of the nurses and medical staff forming around her, as she searched for the face of the one she loved with no success. The sight in front of her were blurred, her thoughts fuzzy and her slurred and confusing. She was in a sheer panic, and as her friends and Angel found their way back to her, they watched useless to help.

"We're going to need to give her something to calm her down," one of the nurses explained to Joyce, as she was passed a small needle.

"No! No!" Buffy's strength and yells were weak as she protested, now held down by two medical attendants. The nurse gently pressed the needle into her arm, and Buffy's words slowly calmed eyes becoming groggier as she tired and lowered her head to her pillow. "Angel?" the word was weak; a gentle plea, as the two holding her carefully slipped away.

"I'm here baby," his voice echoed her in quite pain as he stepped beside his love's head, one hand gently stroking her hair as the other reached to clutch her hand. Her eyes fixed on his for a moment, filling with tears that broke his still heart. With a second kiss to her hand, Buffy then slid back into a deep slumber, leaving her friends and family silent in response.

Scene 2

"Well she seemed…" Giles stuttered among the others, waiting silently outside Buffy's new hospital room. "She seemed—

"Crazy," Cordelia stated, staring off from her seat. She was seemingly oblivious from the look Angel shot her as she continued, "There was a hell of a lot of crazy going on there. Hey what happens if she goes all basket case? Will they just send some new chick? 'Cause, I don't know if the whole crazy thing would…" The teenager peered questioningly at Giles, whose eyes spoke daggers in response, making clear connection with the presence of Joyce Summers. "Right," she attempted to cover, "I just mean that we would miss her, I mean, if she went all crazy…not that she's going to go crazy, I mean if she hasn't already…"

"Cordelia," Giles stated, slipping his glasses of his face and rubbing the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.

"Yes?"

"Stop helping."

"Thank you."

"Who called her anyway?" pacing Angel muttered, her harsh words against his Buffy increasing his earlier state of frustration. Cordelia's jaw dropped in response, and everyone else looked away.

"Hey, I needed a ride," Xander responded from his seat at her right. Cordelia turned to him, mouth still opened as she glared at him with anger, slugging him strong in the arm. "Ugh!" he grunted in response, before turning his attention back to the group. "So what was with the whole hospital thing anyway? I've never seen Buffy so freaked about anything."

"Buffy's always hated hospitals," Joyce answered from the seat across from Xander, "ever since she was a little girl. Her cousin died in one when she eight, Buffy was alone with her at the time."

"Poor Buffy," Willow's compassion was evident in tone, the others' was clear in their response, nodding solemnly.

The nurse emerged from the room, just then, and Joyce rose alone to speak to her. It was seconds before her return. "Well, they said that they don't know anything yet. They think Buffy's just got a bad flu that's going around. They want to keep her here for at least a couple of days, though, and they don't think she'll be awake from the medicine for a couple of hours still. It's late; there's no use in everyone staying. Why don't you all go home, get at least a few hours rest and come back tomorrow. I'll call Mr. Giles if we hear anything new."

"Sleep sounds good to me," Cordelia responded, pulling herself up from the chair.

"I wanna stay," Willow's voice was almost a whimper, and Joyce offered a small smile in return.

"I think Ms. Summers is right," Giles cleared his throat, sensing the woman's need to be alone, "We should all head home and we'll come back and see Buffy when she's awaken tomorrow. You, too, Angel." Giles looked at the other man, completely aware that Buffy's boyfriend would argue in response.

"I can't leave her, she's not well, Giles…I can't," Angel's words were soft, desperate, as Giles led him from the rest of the group.

"Angel, I know that you wish to be here for her right now," Giles started in a hushed tone, "But I also realize that you have probably not taken into account the time at the moment, and that sunrise is just a couple of hours away. You are no good to her dead, you know that, and there is almost no chance you will be able to avoid sunlight in such a public place midday."

Angel nodded slowly, eyes peering down once again, "Okay. Just…when she wakes up just tell her…tell her that I was here. That I had to go, and that I'll come back as soon as I can."

The librarian nodded, "You know I will, Angel. Now, get yourself home and inside before the sun hits. I somehow believe she would kill me, despite her weakened state, if she awoke to find that you died when I could have done something to prevent it." Giles smiled softly at the other man, making peace with someone he had once vowed to be among his mortal enemies.

"Thank you," Angel smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow. Tell them all goodnight for me?" Giles nodded, and with a final glimpse to Buffy's room Angel turned to leave the quite hospital. The others soon followed, leaving Ms. Summers alone sitting alone outside her daughter's hospital room, curling up to sleep in her own moment of worry and privacy.

Scene 3

Buffy's eyelids fluttered opened as she studied the space around her with blurred eyes. She faintly remembered being in hospital, and recognized the room to be her own in sickness. A feeling of uneasiness dropped into her chest as memories from her childhood hit her suddenly, yet her earlier strength of protest was still severely dimmed by the exhaustion of sedatives.

Buffy yawned, turning her head to face the closed doorway as her eyes fluttered opened and closed in her fatigue. Her eyes focussed on the small window in the door, before closing to darkness, opening again, then closing, opening again just as a twisted, peering face passed by. Eyes were deep with evil she had only known through slaying, its skin was deeply creased as it stretched over crooked nose and pointed it. Buffy pulled herself up, her slayer instincts only slightly recognizing the presence of danger in her ill condition. She blinked once, twice, and saw no more demon, and as sleep pulled heavily on her eyes she lay back down. Buffy's head hit the pillow, eyes closing and opening once again at the visual of the tiny window before she drifted back into a deep slumber.

TBC (I know it's kind of short, but I should be adding more fairly soon!)


	4. Chapter 4

Scene 1

Buffy awoke the next morning sore and groggy, rolling her head from left to right trying beneath close eyes to escape the cascading light from the hospital window. Unsuccessful, she opened her eyes moaning unhappily, she turned her head once again, her eyes falling upon the sight of her mother.

"Buffy, you're up," Joyce perked from the seat beside the hospital bed.

"Yup," she murmured, pulling herself up to a sitting position on the bed, "That's me, all with the up-ness. Can we go now?"

"Well now that's your favourite question in the world, isn't it Miss Summer?" the nurse took that moment to step inside the small room and soft, warm smile on her face and she shook her head at the teenage girl.

"I'm just thinking," Buffy hoped, "that since I'm feeling so much better now, wouldn't it make a lot of sense for me to free up the room for a really sick patient to come in? Completely unselfish, I promise, besides I get over these flu things really quickly."

"Nonsense," the nurse walked to her besides, checking her pulse and feeling her forehead before jotting quickly on her notepad. "You've got a bad bug here, sweetheart, and you need to be treated for it. Besides, your mom has already agreed to your staying here at least one more night with us."

The nurse smile once more at her as Buffy's face fell, dropping her head heavily back against the frame of the hospital bed, before slipping from the room, leaving mother and daughter in private.

"Don't you give me that look, Buffy Anne," Joyce retorted to Buffy's death stare, "You will be staying here as long as the doctors say you must. Besides, it's not like you're locked up all alone, I'll be here and your friends will come visit, just as they did last night. Why, even your tutor was here yesterday…" Joyce's tone hinted at further knowledge.

"My tutor?" Buffy questioned with a puzzled look, but Joyce had not a chance to reply as the hospital door swung open once again, this time a pile of familiar faces piling through.

"Hey, Buff," Xander smiled, a bouquet of helium balloons in his hand, "I brought balloons because, well, balloons are just fun." He looked to the grouping of foiled balloons, giggling as he pulled one down slightly and then let it go, allowing it to rise to its former height.

Cordelia rolled her eyes as she stared at him, "They're from me too," she cut in.

"Thanks, guys," Buffy smiled in response.

"I brought you a present, too," Willow moved up to the bed, handing Buffy a pile of papers.

"Homework?" she questioned as she shifted through the sheets, "You know, Wills, something can be said about the lightheartedness of balloons." Xander and Cordelia beamed from the side of the room.

Willow smiled proudly back at the confused Buffy, "No, no, it's all done. Every question and every essay for the next week, and each a guaranteed A."

"And yet what can one do with balloons?" Buffy grinned in response. "Not write homework, that's for sure."

"Okay, well I believe it's off with me now, Buffy," Joyce spoke from her seat, standing as she looked at the room around her. "We'll talk later," she had lowered her voice at that, in a tone that had Buffy more than a little worried as Joyce leaned down to kiss her daughter's forehead before heading out the door.

"Buffy," Giles smiled, sliding her a box of caramel covered chocolate, the sight of which made her mouth water. "These are for you. Also, Angel wanted you to know that he waited here last night for you as long as he could. He'll be back to see you as soon as the sun has set for the night."

Buffy's whole face lit up at his mention, further increased by the knowledge she'd be seeing him soon, then realization suddenly hit her, "My tutor, Mom thinks he's my tutor," when Giles nodded she turned to Willow, "Oh, God, do you think she knows?"

"About the whole blood-sucking-demon thing, or just the plain old part?" Xander's words quickly gained him Willow's elbow in his rib. "Just trying to assess the situation."

"Don't worry about it Buffy," Willow comforted, "I'm sure your Mom would have find out about you two eventually. Besides, you should have seen him last night he was so worried about you he didn't wanna leave, it was so sweet, and most definitely material for mom approval."

"I hope so," Buffy smiled at the thought of Angel worrying over her, "I'll talk to Angel about the whole Mom thing when he comes to visit me tonight—ugh, in this stupid hospital."

"And then maybe it'll be his time to play nursemaid," Willow gushed, and Buffy smiled at the bright side, thinking this whole sick thing may not be too bad after all.

Scene 2 

Buffy shifted on the bed, only half asleep to the world, trying desperately to get comfortable on the small, hard mattress suddenly missing having Mr.Gordo to hold far too much. The gang had left hours earlier for school and work, leaving her alone in the small room that she dreaded so completely. After a couple of hours of shifting through the pile of magazines Willow and Cordelia had picked out for her before leaving she finally gave into the exhaustion of her body, falling into a long, however shallow sleep.

Slayer senses still awake to the world, her eyes snapped open at a movement in the room, the heavy door being slid from its frame. "Angel," she smiled as her eyes caught his, sliding down to his arms which seemed to be stuffed with gifts for his love.

"Hey," his voice was soft, dark eyes glowing with concern for her. He took a couple more steps into the room, placing the vase of two dozen red roses onto the hospital dresser. His arms less full, he quickly proceeded to the side of her bed, leaning down to kiss her forehead and placing his hands lovingly on the sides of her face, "How are you feeling? I'm sorry I had to leave you."

"I'm a little better," Buffy replied, slightly sheepishly as she suddenly remembered her little outburst from the night before. "I still _really_ wish I didn't have to be here though," she smiled slightly as Angel nodded knowingly. "I missed you," her words were truthful, somewhat desperate for him, and she shifted quickly off the subject as embarrassment hit, "The plus, however, is that fact that sick Buffy somehow equals a Buffy deserving of presents." She smiled as Angel sat on the bed next to her, and she cuddled up to him as she looked toward the roses he had brought for her. Angel smiled back down at her, lifting a brown fuzzy bear from his arms and passing it to hers as he once again laid a kiss upon her forehead.

"How could I show up to see my sick girlfriend without flowers? And I thought you might miss Mr. Gordo, so I thought maybe you'd like something to hold on to tonight." he smiled softly down at her, as she beamed at the cuddly bear and her boyfriend's words, grasping it to her for what it was; a present from her Angel.

"You know me so well," her words were soft with emotion, deep with thought as she smiled back up again. Angel smiled back at Buffy, his eyes lost in hers for a moment, before he slid a hand under her chin and pressed a soft, sweet kiss to her lips. He pulled away after seconds, shifting her closer to him and he gently grasped her hand and stroked his thumb along her knuckles.

"So I hear you were quite the little Prince Charming last night," Buffy spoke softly to him, eyes focussed on the gentle movement of his hand against hers, "From what I remember from last night I could definitely vouch for it." Her eyes looked up to meet his and smiled, surprised to find his eyes still clouded over with worry.

"You didn't look well," his words were hushed, as if hearing them would have her feeling as sick once again, "I was worried about you, you shouldn't have been out patrolling last night, Buffy. If I wouldn't have shown up in time there's no telling what could have happened…" Angel's voice trailed off, and he looked down to they're clasped hands pulling her closer once again to his body. Tears threatened to well in Buffy's eyes as she looked upon the sight of the man she cared so deeply for, truly grasping in that moment that perhaps this man loved her in return. Buffy looked down to their hands as well, shifting her legs to lay upon his in effort to get even closer than he had succeeded, squeezing his large hand between her two small ones.

It was minutes before either of them spoke; lost for words, as they continued simply holding each other close and stroking each other's hands. Angel occasionally placed soft kisses to her hair as he rested his chin upon her head. "Angel?" Buffy's quiet voice finally came, and she listened for Angel's soft hum in response, smiling as he laid yet another kiss to her head. "I think that my mom knows about us," Angel's movements slowed slightly, and Buffy knew immediately that he was worried, "I mean, she didn't say anything, so much as tell me that my tutor was here last night and that we had to talk."

"I'm sorry," Angel was worried, afraid that Buffy's mother would not let her see him any more, "Maybe I should have left last night before she arrived, I just couldn't leave you…I…" His voice cut off, his mind rethinking the words his heart wanted to reveal.

"No, Angel," Buffy slipped her head out from under his chin and peered up at him as she spoke, "I needed you last night, you know that as well as I do…and I'm not saying it's a bad thing that she knows. I mean, she might freak out because of the whole age thing, but as Willow said it's not like we were going to hide our relationship from her forever. She'll get over it, she'll get to know you and be fine. Which also means that you most likely have some family dinners at the Summers' home ahead of you. Think you can deal?" both faces had slipped into sweet grins as she spoke. Angel leaned forward, kissing her lips softly.

"Oh, I think I _might _be able to deal with that."

TBC (again)


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Disclaimer, etc. in Chapter 1. As we know, the characters, and most of the premise are not mine.

Scene 1 

The hospital halls were dark and still, a dim light coming from above fixtures the only illumination. Doors lay lined up; straight, even along the walls, each one marked with a number, all closed in attempt for as much privacy as the building would permit.

Buffy lay inside one of the closed rooms, sniffling and groaning and she flipped sides facing the doorway and she closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. Her eyes fluttered open again at the slide of dragged steps along the outside hallway, the sound waking up her heightened senses. She stared at the small window in the doorway, footsteps getting closer and closer as she waited, pulling herself slowly into more of a sitting position. There was the face, cold, peering, demon, just as she had thought she had seen the night before. It looked into the room at her, eyes gleaming as its mouth twisted into an evil grin, then turning once again to look at the hall before itself, leaving the realm of Buffy's site.

Buffy sat up fully, pulling I.V.s and tubes from her arms as she frantically struggled to free herself from the medical constraints. The final tube removed, she stepped hurriedly from the bed, cracking the door open quietly and stepping from the small room into the dark, stale halls. She looked from left to right, and seeing no sight of the demon she followed in the direction he had seen her pass. Buffy followed the hallway to a bend, turning in time catching the darkened figure of the demon far ahead of her. However, it was not alone with her in the hallway. Tucked into the frame of a nearby door, on opposite side to the demon, stood a young boy of about ten. Dressed in pajamas his hair was a rumpled mess and his face was etched with fear.

Buffy's heart fell as the demon stepped closer to the little boy, never crossing to the hall, merely stepping so he might stand beside the child. She willed her body to move faster, to run, and to fight this thing before it hurt that little boy. She willed what her body would not allow, her vision blurring as she attempted to speed up. Her heart felt like it would slip completely from her chest as the demon turned, dark eyes gleaming on the little boy who shook and wept under his glare. Buffy tried to speed up, she tried to yell, tried to make it before it hurt him; instead she was shocked as the demon turned its head once more continuing on its straight path at the little boy's shakes became even more violent. It was near to reaching the end of the next hallway, paying no attention to any of the presence of the little boy or Buffy, leaving her curious as to whether or not their presence was even felt.

Buffy heard the little boy whimper and cry and she started forward again, only then realized that she had stopped as it had passed him, eyes peering in confusion at the curious creatures movements. She stole forward, trying to reach the child and comfort him, trying to pass him to follow the demon; she wanted so many things in that moment. What she got, it seemed, was darkness; as it enveloped her in a slow and blurring haze she slipped to floor. The last sound she heard was that of a terrified, piercing scream.

Scene 2

"Ugh…" Buffy's head was pounding, she brought her hand up to hold her temple as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning Miss Summers," the nurse leaned over to greet her, "I hear you had quite the interesting night last night."

Buffy's heart dropped as her remembered the demon from the night before, and the little boy who stood in the hall with them, "That boy? What happened to him? Is he okay?"

"Ryan?" the nurse smiled slightly before leaning down to fluff Buffy's pillows, "He'll be just fine. What an imagination on that one though, I must say. Kept saying that he saw some sort of monster in the hall there, he was really afraid it was gonna hurt you when he saw you faint."

"They didn't see anything? When they came to help I mean?"

"Don't tell me this bug has you seeing monsters too Miss Summers?" the nurse stopped her actions to stare down at Buffy, chuckling lightly as she spoke.

"No," Buffy forced a laugh as well, attempting to cover her slip, "I just heard footsteps and he looked freaked about something, it was nothing I'm sure…just kid stuff. I'm sorry I scared him."

The nurse chuckled a little more at that, "You know, honestly, I think that boy enjoys it considering the way he's been telling stories since he got here, kinda an escape from the real scary stuff he sees in this place. I swear deep down that boy just hates hospitals as much as you do." Buffy smiled back at her as the older woman made her way toward the door, "Breakfast will be by in a bit Miss Summers, and try to stay in bed for a while, will you?"

Scene 3 

Half an hour and breakfast later Buffy stuck her head out of her hospital door checking for any sign of her nurses and medical staff. With the coast clear she slipped out of the room and into the hallway silently thanking her mom for bringing sweatpants and t-shirts for her the day before. She turned in the same direction she had walked the night before following the curved white walls to the same stretch of hospital, now busy with the rustling of visitors, patients, and employees. Buffy stepped toward the doorframe the little boy had stood before the night before, peering into the window she saw only darkness behind the brightly coloured paintings on the glass.

"No one there but sleeping babes, Miss," Buffy jumped at the voice behind her, afraid she had been caught, and becoming completely tired of being called 'Miss'. "The nurses try to get the kids out a bed for at least a little bit a day if they're well enough, you know keep 'em playing just as kids should." The voice belonged to a middle-aged man, black hair peppered with gray and brown eyes trimmed with wrinkles. He smiled warmly at her as he mopped the floor.

"I met one of the kids yesterday," Buffy replied, checking both sides of the hallway again for sing of her nurse, "What do they have? I mean, they'll be alright, right?"

"Just a particularly nasty flu that's being passed around the schools again," she man smiled, gesturing to her outfit, "In fact probably the same thing that you're in here for, am I right?"

"What gave me away?" Buffy's laughed sheepishly, suddenly hoping this man wasn't going to pass her back to medical staff and to her room

"Well, after twenty-four years in this place I gotten quite good at spotting runaway patients," the custodian laughed again, "Usually they're wearing hospital gowns and bracelets."

"Okay," Buffy smiled, feeling even more sheepish as she looked down at the forgotten rob that covered her own clothing, not exactly mall worthy that was for sure, " You caught me. Just…when I met that little boy I kinda fainted last night and I think it freaked him out I wanted to make sure he was alright."

"Well I wouldn't worry about that Miss, I'm sure it was the last of fears last night," the man paused for a moment as his dark features fell, "They lost another one, a little girl while they all slept. The doctors do all they can, but I guess some of their little bodies are just too small to take it. Why don't you run back to your room now before someone catches you and gets us both into trouble."

Buffy's gaze traveled back to the closed doorway as she heard him speak, memory slipping back to the day she lost her cousin Celia in a room just like it. She remembered Celia's fear, this little girl must have been terrified as well, "This…This is where she died?" Buffy almost didn't recognize her own voice as it slipped past her lips, small and vulnerable.

"No, this is where the little boys' sleep," the custodian's deep voice answered, "The girls are through the door on the other side, or just a few doors down this way." Buffy watched where his hand gestured, her heart dropping in her chest as she remembered the shadowy figure of the demon sliding slowly through the hall, "Miss?" The man's voice broke her trance.

"Yeah, I uh," Buffy stumbled to find her words as her slayer instincts kicked into high gear, "You're right I should be heading back now, thank you, I'm sorry I bothered you." Buffy turned back to her room walking swiftly down the brightly-lit corridors until she slid back behind safe doors.


End file.
